Sunday Apr 18, 2010

Kandinsky & Me

Improvisation 16

The great Russian-born artist Wassily Kandinsky is widely credited with making the world’s first truly abstract paintings. Picasso teetered on abstraction, but never went all the way. With a background in music, Kandinsky often titled his paintings as impressions, improvisations, and compositions.

Here are Kandinsky’s guidelines for experiencing art for your own self: “Lend your ears to music, open your eyes to painting, and stop thinking! Just ask yourself whether the work has enabled you to ‘walk about’ into a hitherto unknown world. If the answer is yes, what more do you want?”

I have always felt a strong kinship with Kandinsky. Enjoy my Improvisation 16.